


I come back to the place you are

by ambiguously



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Extra Treat, F/M, Force Ghosts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 03:58:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13673805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ambiguously/pseuds/ambiguously
Summary: Leia can't see him but she knows he's there.





	I come back to the place you are

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NotebookishType](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotebookishType/gifts).



When her eyes are open, Luke is gone. Everything is gone: Han, her base, her fleet, not to mention her command staff. Luke's loss is the most recent and the deepest. With her eyes open, scanning the small crowd of survivors, she knows he's never coming back, no matter how firmly she felt his lips on her forehead when he told her goodbye.

Vision is a liar, though.

Leia waits until she has time to be alone, and then she closes her eyes.

"Hi." His voice is warm. She can almost feel Luke's breath in her ear.

"Are you really here now?"

"I'm right beside you."

Leia smiles. "You promised you would be, you know. You're late in keeping your word."

His ghost lets out a sad chuckle. "You know me. It took me nineteen years to find you the first time. It's been less than seven this go-round."

"You're improving, is what you're telling me."

"Every day." She feels, as though he's in the room with her, the warmth of his head resting against hers. Her mind tells her if she reaches out, she'll be able to touch him, but her heart can't take it if she reaches for him and only embraces air.

"Tell me what you did while you were away."

"Nothing. I hid. I wished thing were different. What have you done?"

"Started another rebellion, led children into another war, and didn't accomplish a damn thing by it."

"You kept busy, then."

"I did. Luke?"

"Yes?"

"I don't think I can do this. I told myself that if I just kept going, you'd be back one of these days. I could do anything because I knew you were somewhere out there. Now you're not, and Han's not, and everything is falling apart. I can keep up the brave face for those kids and tell them there's hope, but I can't see hope in front of me."

Tears are threatening. Leia hates to cry.

She feels him move, and she keeps her eyes tightly shut. If she opens them, he'll be gone again, and her heart can't take it. She's loved Luke her entire life. Long before they were reunited, she'd known a part of her was missing. She has only ever been complete with him there.

"Leia, look at me."

"I can't. I've looked for you for days. You used to see Obi-Wan. You said you saw Yoda and our father. But I can't see you. I don't have enough power."

His hands are on her shoulders. "Yes, you do. You're doing it now, you just don't realize it."

She shakes her head. "I don't want you to go away again."

"Trust me, Leia. I'm not leaving your side. Open your eyes and look."

She wants to believe him, and she doesn't want to be alone. She wars inside herself for a long moment. Then Leia opens her eyes.

Luke smiles at her. He's a bit blue around the edges, and she can see the wall on the other side through him, but he's real.

"Hi," he says again.

"Always beside me," she says. "Your word."

"Always," he agrees, and she feels his mouth brush against her lips, sealing the promise forever.


End file.
